The Inspector General of Police, Abbas Byakagaba has with immediate effect sacked the Kampala Metropolitan police commander, Commissioner of Police, Richard Ecega.
Ecega, whose sacking was communicated on Monday has been replaced by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ezekiel Emitu who has been the commandant of the Police Training School, Kabalye, in Masindi district.
Also sacked is Ecega's deputy, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Gerald Twishimye as well as the head of crime intelligence within Kampala Metropolitan Area, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ben Kasozi and Old Kampala Divisional Police Commander, Francis Liiga.
Sources at the Kampala Metropolitan Police headquarters at the Central Police Station have since confirmed the development.
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The sacking comes on the heels of surging crime within the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
While members of the public previously complained of robberies and muggings, especially at night, cases of murder and robbery in several parts of Kampala have seen members of the public raise fears over their safety.
Recently, Diana Namulinde, also known as Diana Skyz, a TikToker was raped and killed in Kyanja, a Kampala suburb.
A security guard has since been arrested and remanded over the crime.
In an other incident, a hotel manager and security guard were killed in Wakaliga and a vehicle stolen .
Police have since arrested one suspect and is currently on remand.
The most recent crime was the murder of UCU Dean of Students, Pamela Tumwebaze was strangled when an assailant jumped into her home in Mukono at night.
Police have since arrested a former house worker at the home as the prime suspect in the gruesome murder.
These and a string of many other crimes that seem to have surged in the last two months have seen members of the public raise concern, with many saying that criminals seem to have taken over the city.
However, the Police Crime Intelligence Director, AIGP Gen Christopher Ddamulira on Monday allayed these fears, saying security is on top of the situation.
He highlighted major breakthroughs achieved in recent weeks.
Between January 20 and 24, police recovered four submachine guns in Kampala Metropolitan and arrested nine suspects. Forensic analysis linked the weapons to at least 30 aggravated robberies.
"To us, this is a very big achievement," Damulira said, adding that since the recoveries, "Kampala has not registered a single gun-related incident."
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He also revealed that suspects in custody have confessed to multiple murders, including the killing of Ntawo's Officer in Charge.
Police said intelligence-led operations are ongoing, with hundreds of suspects arrested across divisions such as Kira, Nsangi, and Kira Road.
Gen Ddamulira added that new measures are being rolled out to tackle muggings at traffic lights and expand the sub-county policing model nationwide.
He acknowledged that deeper structural issues, including poverty and unemployment, remain major drivers of crime and require a coordinated, whole-of-government response.
"We will continue strengthening operations to ensure a safer environment for all Ugandans."
It remains to be seen if the changes made by the top police management will bring sanity to the city.
